Call for Entries: Points North Fellowship and Shortform Editing Residency
May 9, 2017 [Camden, Maine] – The Points North Institute has opened their call for submissions for the Points North Fellowship and Shortform Editing Residency, two programs for documentaries in development that take place before and during the Institute’s Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) in September.
The Points North Fellowship has become a widely recognized platform for six teams of filmmakers to accelerate the development of their feature-length documentary projects through a combination of funding, focused mentorship, workshops, industry meetings and participation in the Points North Pitch. All six projects selected for the Points North Fellowship will receive a cash stipend, as well as All Access passes to CIFF, accommodations during the festival week, and a round-trip flight to Maine.
The Points North Fellowship begins with two days of intensive pitch training and industry mentorship, sponsored in part by Maine Media Workshops and held at their campus in Rockport. These sessions prepare filmmakers to pitch their projects to an international delegation of leading funders, broadcasters, distributors and producers before a live audience at the eighth annual Points North Pitch. Panelists have included representatives from CNN, HBO, A&E IndieFilms, POV, Ford Foundation, Sundance Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, and Cinereach.
Several alumni projects of the Points North Fellowship have had their premieres at major festivals in 2017, including WHOSE STREETS (Sundance), THE CAGE FIGHTER (True/False, San Francisco), THE REAGAN SHOW (Tribeca), THE SENSITIVES (Tribeca) and THE FAMILY I HAD (Tribeca).
Points North is also accepting submissions for its Shortform Editing Residency, a new program supporting filmmakers working on documentary shorts or episodic series. The week-long residency takes place September 10-17, bringing four teams of filmmakers to Maine to work on their edit with input from experienced mentors. Last year’s mentors included directors Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher (Peace in the Valley), editor Mary Lampson (Harlan County, USA), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ben C. Solomon (New York Times), Vimeo’s Peter Gerard and VICE’s Dominic Musacchio. The Shortform Editing Residency includes two All Access passes to CIFF, giving filmmakers additional opportunities to connect with funders, distributors and the international documentary community during the festival weekend.
“These programs have become a core part of the Points North Institute’s mission to nurture the careers of diverse nonfiction storytellers and help them develop a stronger artistic voice,” said Program Director Sean Flynn. “We are thrilled to see the alumni of these programs making a major impact on the festival circuit, and we look forward to further developing these platforms for the next generation of storytellers.”
The earlybird deadline for both programs is June 7, 2017 and applications will be accepted through July 12, 2017.
